Durga Puja 2026 in West Bengal is a five-day grand celebration of Goddess Durga’s homecoming, her victory over the demon Mahishasura, and the triumph of good over evil. The 2026 Sharadiya Durga Puja begins on Friday, October 16, 2026 with Maha Panchami (Bilva Nimantran) and ends on Wednesday, October 21, 2026 with Vijayadashami and Sindur Khela. The main five days are Shashthi (Oct 17), Maha Saptami (Oct 18), Maha Ashtami (Oct 19), Maha Navami (Oct 20) and Dashami (Oct 21), with Mahalaya on Saturday, September 26, 2026 marking the goddess’s descent. The festival is the grandest in Eastern India and the most celebrated Shakta occasion in the Hindu calendar.
Bengal’s Durga Puja is also the biggest single market for brass idols in India. Clay Durga idols with brass ornaments and a dedicated brass Durga murti for the home mandap are central to the celebration, alongside brass dhunuchi, brass aarti items, brass conch and brass bell. To view the full Devi and puja range, browse the brass idol catalog. For more Bengali festival themes, see the festival blog.
Durga Puja 2026 Dates, Tithi and Full Calendar
As per Drik Panchang, the 2026 Durga Puja calendar for West Bengal runs as follows:
- Mahalaya: Saturday, September 26, 2026
- Maha Panchami (Bilva Nimantran): Friday, October 16, 2026
- Maha Shashthi (Kalparambha, Akal Bodhon): Saturday, October 17, 2026
- Maha Saptami (Kolabou Puja): Sunday, October 18, 2026
- Maha Ashtami (Kumari Puja, Sandhi Puja): Monday, October 19, 2026
- Maha Navami (Durga Balidan): Tuesday, October 20, 2026
- Vijaya Dashami (Sindur Khela, Visarjan): Wednesday, October 21, 2026
Ashtami tithi for 2026 begins at 08:27 AM on October 18 and ends at 10:51 AM on October 19, and the Sandhi Puja is performed at the junction of Ashtami and Navami, the most sacred 48-minute window of the year. Dashami tithi begins at 12:50 PM on October 20 and ends at 02:11 PM on October 21, with the Vijay Muhurat from 02:06 PM to 02:52 PM on October 21, ideal for the main visarjan of the day.
Kolkata Pandals and the Art of Pandal Hopping
Kolkata hosts more than 3,000 themed pandals during Durga Puja 2026, with famous mandals such as Santosh Mitra Square, College Street, Bosepukur Sitala Mandir, Deshapriya Park, Suruchi Sangha, Kumortuli Park, Maddox Square and Ekdalia Evergreen. Each pandal competes to design the most innovative theme — Egyptian pyramids, Mughal courts, space stations, Japanese gardens, tribal art installations and replicas of global landmarks. UNESCO inscribed Kolkata’s Durga Puja on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2021, recognising its artistic excellence and community participation.
Bengali Pandals Around the World
Bengali Associations in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Pune, Ahmedabad, London, Toronto, New Jersey, Dubai and Sydney also host large Durga Puja pandals. Pandal hopping in 2026 will begin on the morning of Shashthi, with families and friends walking from one neighbourhood to another, tasting bhog (khichuri, labra, begun bhaja, payesh), posing with the idol, and sharing sindoor khela on Dashami. The traditional Bengali white kash phool, dhak drums and the red-and-white decoration theme are the visual signature of the season.
Ashtami Rituals: Sandhi Puja, Kumari Puja and Dhunuchi Naach
Maha Ashtami is the most sacred day of Durga Puja 2026. The day begins with Maha Ashtami pushpanjali, followed by Ashtami Sandhi Puja at the precise junction of Ashtami and Navami tithis, when 108 lota are offered to the goddess and 108 earthen lamps are lit. The chandi path is recited in pandals, and dhak drummers play continuously for hours.
In the evening, devotees perform the famous Dhunuchi Naach (dhunuchi dance), holding clay dhunuchis filled with burning coconut husk, dhuno and camphor. Men and women sway in circles to the dhak beat, offering the fragrant smoke to Maa Durga. On Ashtami, Kumari Puja is also performed in pandals and at Belur Math, where a young girl aged 6-12 is worshipped as the virgin form of the goddess. The Ashtami bhog of luchi-alur dom, khichuri-labra and payesh is served to thousands across pandals.
Navami, Dashami Visarjan and Sindur Khela
Maha Navami in 2026 is on Tuesday, October 20, with Maha Arthi performed in hundreds of pandals by drummers playing in unison. Navami Homa and Durga Balidan are also performed in select pandals and traditional households. The next morning, Vijayadashami marks the goddess’s symbolic return to Mount Kailash with her children Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesha and Kartikeya. Married Bengali women first apply sindur to the goddess and then to each other in the joyful Sindur Khela ritual, dressed in red and white sarees with alta on their feet.
After the emotional farewell, the Durga idol is taken out in a procession with dhak, ululation, and the chant “Asche bochor abar hobe” (it will happen again next year). The idols are immersed in the Ganga, Hooghly or the sea at Baje Dhoba, Babughat, Outram Ghat and Nimtala in Kolkata, and at community ghats across Bengal, Assam, Tripura, Odisha and Bihar. Eco-friendly clay idols, brass ornaments and natural colours are now the standard, with the West Bengal Pollution Control Board capping idol height at 20 feet and super-structure at 40 feet in Kolkata.
Brass Idols, Dhunuchi and Deshna Wholesale for Durga Puja 2026
For Bengali families, a brass Durga idol is the centrepiece of the home mandap, supported by brass Lakshmi, brass Saraswati, brass Ganesha and brass Kartikeya murtis. Brass dhunuchi holders, brass aarti plates, brass conch and brass ghanti (bell) are equally essential. Deshna Wholesale from Khatauli supplies the full Devi and puja range used in Bengali pandals and homes during the 2026 season. View the brass idol catalog for wholesale prices and bulk shipping across Kolkata, Howrah, Salt Lake, Siliguri, Durgapur and the diaspora, or message the team on WhatsApp +91 93586 85800 for custom Bengali Devi hampers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: When is Durga Puja 2026 in West Bengal?
A: Durga Puja 2026 runs from Friday, October 16 (Maha Panchami) to Wednesday, October 21 (Vijaya Dashami) in West Bengal. Mahalaya falls on Saturday, September 26, 2026.
Q: What is Sandhi Puja in Durga Puja?
A: Sandhi Puja is performed at the exact junction of Ashtami and Navami tithis and lasts 48 minutes. It is the most sacred moment of Durga Puja, marked by the offering of 108 lota and 108 earthen lamps, with the chandi path recited throughout.
Q: What is Dhunuchi Naach?
A: Dhunuchi Naach (dhunuchi dance) is the iconic Bengali dance performed on Ashtami and Dashami evenings, where devotees hold burning clay dhunuchis filled with coconut husk, dhuno and camphor and dance to the beat of the dhak drum.
Q: How many pandals are there in Kolkata?
A: Kolkata hosts more than 3,000 Durga Puja pandals during the 2026 season, with famous mandals in College Street, Santosh Mitra Square, Deshapriya Park, Suruchi Sangha, Kumortuli Park and Maddox Square competing on theme, art and innovation.
Q: Can I buy a brass Durga idol for home mandap?
A: Yes. Deshna Wholesale supplies brass Durga murtis in 6, 9, 12 and 18 inch sizes, plus brass Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesha and Kartikeya idols used in Bengali home mandaps. View the catalog or contact the team on WhatsApp.
Conclusion: Durga Puja 2026 in Bengal is a five-day cultural carnival blending Shakta devotion, dhak music, dhunuchi dance, kumortuli craftsmanship, sindur khela and 3,000 themed pandals. Whether you pandal-hop in Kolkata, attend the Ashtami Sandhi Puja in your local pandal, or perform a home puja with a brass Durga idol, the festival is an unmatched celebration of Maa Durga’s homecoming.
For wholesale brass Durga idols, Devi murti sets and puja accessories, visit the brass idol catalog or reach the team on WhatsApp +91 93586 85800 for retailer and pandal enquiries across Bengal, Assam, Odisha, Bihar and the diaspora.